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EVANGELICAL  TRACT  SOCIETY,  1  ^ 

Petersburg,  Va.         j"  NO-  S09- 


LOVE 


10 


AN  UNSEEN  SAVIOUR. 


:Whom  having  not  seen  ye  love; 


BY  ARCHIBALD  ALEXANDER,  D.  D. 


RALEIGH: 

RALEIGH    REGISTER    STEAM    TOWER    PRESS. 

1863. 


>mqp 


No.  209. 


LOVE 


TO 


AN   UNSEEN  SAVIOUR. 


Whom  having  not  seen  ye  love." — 1  Peter  i.  8. 


iij 


The  strangers  dispersed  through  Asia  Minor,  to  whom  this 
i  >le  was  addressed,  had  never  seen  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
.he  flesh.  But  having  been  induced  to  attend  on  the 
ministry  of  the  apostles  and  evangelists,  who  represented  to 
them  the  facts  relating  to  the  Saviour  of  the  world,  and  con- 
flfrmed  their  testimony  by  miraculous  signs,  they,  undef  the 
illumination  .of  the  Spirit,  believed  in  him  ;  and  their  faith 
was  accDmpanied  by  love  to  him  whom  they  had  not  seen. 
u  Whom  having  not  seen,  yc  love;  and  in  whom  believing, 
ye  rejoice  with  joy  unspeakable  and  full  of  glory." 

It  is  related  of  the  great  Augustine  that  he  was  wont  to 
express  his  regret  that  he  could  not  see  three  things  which 
had  occurred  before  his  time,  namely,  "  Christ  in  the  flesh, 
Paul  in  the  pulpit,  and  Home  in  its  glory."  As  it  regards 
the  first  of  these,  it  is  probable  that  most  Christians  have  ex- 
perienced something  of  the  same  pious  curiosity.  We  are 
very  naturally  inclined  to  envy  the  condition  of  those  who 
were  contemporaneous  with  our  Lord;  and-who  is  there  among 
living  Christians,  who  would  not  consent  to  perform  a  long 
pilgrimage  to  enjoy  the  sight  of  this  divine  Personage,  even 
for  an  hour  ?  Such  a  curiosity  was  felt  by  many  who  resided 
in  distant  countries,  while  he  was  upon  earth.  Thus,  we 
read,  that  certain  Greeks,  no  doubt  proselytes,  as  soon  as  they 


4  '  LOVE    TO  AN  UNSEEN  SAVIOUR. 

arrived  at  Jerusalem  to  attend  one  of  the  Jewish  festivals, 
began  immediately  to  inquire  for  him,  saying :  u  We  would 
see  Jesus ;"  and  others  said,  "  Where  is  He  V  Earnest 
search  was  therefore  made  for  him ;  and  when  it  was  under- 
stood that  the  Lord  Jesus  was  approaching  by  the  way  of  the 
Mount  of  Olives,  multitudes  went  out  to  meet  him,  and,  for 
the  moment,  were  filled  with 'enthusiastic  affection,  and  cried 
out  with  a  loud  voice,  "  Hosannah^to  the  Son  of  David  !;  lib- 
sannah  in  the  highest !" 

But  howe'ver  natural  the  curiosity  may  be,  there  is  reason 
to  think  that  its   gratification  would  be  attended   with  very 
little  benefit.     When  Christ  tabernacled  in  the   flesh,  he  was 
seen  by  unbelievers  as  well  as  "believers  ;  by  bitter -enemies  as-* 
well  as  by  friends.     Judas  was  not  in  the  least  benefitted  by 
familiar   intercourse    with  him  for  several  years.     He  was 
seen  by  the  chief  priests,  scribes,  and  elders,  when  arraigned 
before  the  Sanhedrim  j  also  by  the  soldiers  who  apprehended 
him  and  bound  him.     By  Pilate,  and  by  Herod  and  his  men 
of  war.     By  the  executioners  who  scourged  him,  and  then 
nailed  him  to  the  cross ;  and  by  the  multitudes,  who  were 
witnesses  of  his  crucifixion  5  bu£  the  sight  of  the  Saviour  had 
no  beneficial  -effect  on  any  of  these.     And  if  Christ  should 
again  be  manifested  (as  he  will  be)  to  the  world,  not  in  hu- 
miliation but  in  glory,  unless  the  Holy  Spirit  should  renew 
the  minds  of  the  beholders,  there  would  be   #0  love   to  the 
Saviour  generated  by  the  external  vision  of  hisfnajesty.    In- 
deed, when  he  shall  come,  "  every  eye  shall  see  him,  and  they 
that  pierced  him,'"  and  the  only  effect  will  be  that  all  kin- 
dreds of  the   earth  shall  wail  because  of  him.     The   whole 
human  race  shall  see  Christ  on  the  judgment  seat,  but  only 
they  who  believed  on  him  here,  will  rejoice  in  his  appear- 
ance. 

A  sight  of  Christ's  body  is  not  at  all  necessary  to  the  exer- 
cise of  a  true  faitli.  This  he  emphatically  taught  after  his 
resurrection,  in  the  case  of  Thomas,  who  was -not  with  the 
other  anostles  when  Christ  first  appeared  to  them  collectively. 
But  eight  days  after,  when*  Thomas  was  present,  "came 
Jesus,  the  doors  being  shut,  an  J  stood  in  the  midst,  and  said, 
Peace  be  unto  you."  Then  saith  he  to  Thomas,  "  Reach 
hither  thy  finger  and  behold  niy  bands,  and  reach  hither  thy 
hand  and  thrust  it  into  my  side,  and  be  not  faithless  but  be- 


LOVE  TO  AN    UNSEEN  SAVIOUR.  *5 

lieving.  And  Thomas  answered  and  3aid  unto  him,  My  Lor  d 
and  my  God  !  Jesus  saith  unto  him,  Thomas,  because  thou 
hast  seen  me  thou  hast  believed,  Blessed  are  they  that  have 
not  seen,  and  yet  have  believed.'7 

'It  is  not  even  necessary  to  a  true  faith,  nor  auxiliary  to  it, 
that  a  lively  image  of  the  Saviour  be  formed  in  the  imagina- 
tion.   Faith  is  no  fancy.    And  if  the  sight  of  Christ  himself/ 
whether  in  his  habiliments  of  humility,  or  robes  of  light  and 
glory,  would  have  no  tendency  to  generate  a  true  faith,  then 
certainly,  no  picture  or  painting  of  Christ — which  must  be 
fictitious — ever  can  afford  us  any  real  aid  in  believing,  or  in 
spiritual  worship.     People  are  indeed  affected  and  excited  by- 
such  representations,  but  these  (.'fleets  have  little  or  no  affini- 
ty with  the  true  spirit  of  devotion.     They  rather  hinder  than 
help  by  turning  the  attention  of  the  worshipper  to  an  exter- 
nal object,  when  it  should  by  faith  be  contemplating  the  spir- 
itual beauties  of  the  Son  of  God. 
;  Some,  perhaps,  may  find  a  .difficulty  in  conceiving  how  a 
person  never  seen  can  become  the  object  of  affection.     But  a 
little  reflection  will  make  this  matter  plain.     Eminent  bine^ 
factors  are  often  highly  esteemed  and   loved   by  those  who 
uever  saw  them.     The   blind,  who   never  saw  their   nearest 
"relatives,  have  as  strong  affection  for  their  parents,  brothers, 
sisters,  and  friends,  as  any  others. 

If  a  parent  should  conceal  himself  from  the  view  of  his 
children,  and  yet -should  often' speak  to  them,  giving  them 
lessons  of  wisdom  and  piety,  and  bestowng  on  them  daily 
favours,  would  not  such  parent  be  loved  by  dutiful  children  ' 
Indeed,  in  all  cases  where  we  do  see  those  whom  weomost 
highly  esteem,  it  is  not  the  visible  bodily  frame  which  is  the 
object  of  our  affection,  but  the  invisible  mind  which  manifests 
its  sentiments  and  feelings,  through  the  countenance  and  ac- 
tions of  the  body.  Where  there  is  rational  affection  of  es- 
teem, founded  on  the  perception  of  moral  worth,  the  body 
may  change,  and  its  beauty  and  freshness  may  be  turned  into 
deformity  and  decrepitude,  and  yet  there  shall  be  no  diminu- 
tion of  our  esteem.  All  that  is  most  amiable  in  the  most 
beautiful  iace,  has  relation  to  the  dispositions  of  the  heart,  of 
which  the  countenance  is  the  expressive  index.'  A  person 
far  off  and  never  seen  may  be  loved — therefore  a  person  who 
really  lives  in  another  world  may  be  sincerely  loved.     God 


6  LOVE  TO  AN   ITNrfEEN   SAVIOUR. 

is  neoessarily  invisible,  because  he  is  a  pure  spirit,  but  he  is 
supremely  loved  and  adored  by  all  the  heavenly  hosts. 

Love  to  an  unseen  Saviour  includes  a  knowledge  of  his 
true  character.  We  cannot  truly  love  a  being  of  whom  we 
know  nothing.  And  it  will  not  answer  to  substitute  our  own 
imaginations  for  the  true  knowledge  of  Christ.  The  word, 
being  the  fountain  of  all  truth,  must  be  our  guide  in  think- 
ing of  the  Saviour.  Here  Christ  is  set  forth  in  all  his  per- 
sonal and  official  characters.  Here  his  divine  virtues,  his 
discourses,  and  his  patient  sufferings  are  recorded.  Many 
are  for  turning  from  the  written  word  to  some  delusive  light 
which  they  fancy  to  be  within  them.  They  turn  away  from 
the  true  Christ  to  a  false  one,  which  they  have  formed  to 
themselves.  Be  exhorted  then,  to  behold  the  character  of 
your  Lord,  as   portrayed  in  his  word. 

Love  to  an    unseen   Saviour  is  by  faith.     Faith  works  by. 
love.     Where  an  object  is  not  seen  it  must  be  believed   in, 
otherwise  there  can  be  no  affection  exerted. 

'Love  to  an  unseen  Saviour  includes  a  high  veneration  and 
esteem  for  his  character.  The  sentiment  called  esteem  u 
known  to  all.  We  feel  it  toward  men  of  excellence ;  and  it  is 
a  feeling  which  we  naturally  desire  to  have  exercised  toward 
ourselves.  When  excellence  superior  to  human,  and  united 
with  great  power  and  wisdom,  is  found  in  any  person,  this 
esteem  rises  to  reverence.  There  is  experienced  a  holy  awe, 
and  an  humble  sense  of  inferiority.  This  may  especially  be 
called,  "the  rdigious  feeling."  It  is  the  emotion  of  which 
we  are  most  conscious,  when  we  obtain  any  clear  impressive 
views  of  the  diameter  of  God.  Whenever  God  is  felt  to  be 
near,  this  feeling  predominates.  It  is,  therefore,  often  put 
for  the  whole  of  internal  religion,  and  becomes  the  character- 
istic of  sincere  worshippers.  They  that  fear  God  arc,  in  the 
language  of  the  Scriptures,  the  truly  pious. 

As  love  to  any  one  includes  a  desire  to  come  into  the  pre- 
sence of  the  beloved,  so  especially  love  to  an  unseen  person 
is  accompanied  with  an  ardent  desire,  if  .he  cannot  be  seen, 
yet  to  be  near  him.  The  believing  soul,  smitten  with  the 
love  of  Jesus,  is  full  of  desires.  Like  the  spouse,  its  language 
is,  "Saw  ye  him  whom  my  soul  loveth  ?  I  sought  him  but 
I  found  him  not."  These  desires  are  not  only  after  the  com- 
fortable presence  of  the  Saviour,  but  after  conformity  to  him. 


LOVE    TO   AX    UNSEEN    SAVIOUR.  7 

and  after  the  possession  of  those  gifts  by  which  the  peTson 
may  be  enabled  to  glorify  his  name.  There  is  no  surer  char- 
acteristic of  a  sincere  lover  of  Christ,  than  a  habitual  desire 
to  be  like  Christ,  and  an  ardent  zeal  to  promote  his  glory, 
and  this  every  sincere  soul  is  conscious  of,  in  some  degree. 
"My  soul  thirsteth  after  God,  the  living  God."  "When 
shall  I  come  and  appear  before  God  ?" 

Delight  in  God  is  also  included  in  love.  Indeed,  this  may 
bo  said  to  be  tl;e  very  essence  of  love*.  Itisaholy  compla- 
cency in  Christ.  The  soul  reposes  in  the  contemplation  of 
his  character,  and  enjoys  a- sweet  pleasure.  All  the  traits  of 
his  character  are  pleasing.  "He  is  the  chief  among  ten  thou- 
sand, and  the  one  altogether  lovely."  One  bright  view  of 
his  excellence  arill  beauty  ravishes  the  soul  with  unspeakable 
delight.  "Whom  having  not  seen,  ye  love,  and  in  whom, 
though  now  ye  see  him  not,  yet  believing,  ye  rejoice  with  joy 
unspeakable  and  full  of  glory."  Joy  and  love  are  twin  sis- 
ters, and  they  are  very  much  alike,  and  cannot  be  separated. 
"■Delight  thyself  in  God,  and  he  will  give  thee  the  desires  of 
thy  heart."  * 

'How  sweet  the  name  of  Jesus  sounds 

In  a  believer's  ear  ! 
It  soothes  his  sorrows,  heals  his  wounds, 

And  drives  away  his  fear." 

"His  name  is  like  ointment  poured  forth." 

Another  exercise  of  love  to  Christ  is  gratitude.  The  Re- 
deemer is  exhibited  as  a  Chief  Benefactor.  All  that  is  said 
of  him  in  the  Scriptures  relates  to  his  grand  work  of  redeem- 
ing human  sinners.  Here  we  read  -  of  his  love*,  his  eternal 
love,  which  put  him  on  this  work  of  salvation.  Here  we 
have  the  history  of  his  deep  humiliation,  when  he  became  incar- 
nate in* our  nature.  Here  we  behold  the  man  of  sorrows,  the 
persecuted,  despised  Nazarene ;  the  man  whose  visage  was 
more  marred  than  that  of  any  man — burdened  with  our 
griefs  and  sorrows,  and  at  last  crucified,  in  circumstances  of 
overwhelming  disgrace  and  agony.  Now,  all  this  love,  all 
this  suffering,  exhibits  the  benefactor  of  man.  All  other 
Saviours  are  eclipsed,  when  compared  with  the  Son  of  God.. 
Their  services  are  lost,  in  insignificance,  in  comparison  with 
his  work.  ? 


3  LOVE    XO    AN    UNSEEN    SAVIOUR. 

Now  as  Christ  is  exhibited  ah  performing  the  part  of  a  benefac- 
tor, in  all  his  mediatorial  work,  of  course  the  feeling,  above  all  oth- 
ers, which  corresponds  with  his  revealed  character,  is  gratitude. 
Much  of  the  exercise  of  true  religion,  therefore,  consists  in  grati- 
tude; and  much,  very  much,  of  our  sin  consists  in  ingratitude.  A 
thankful,  penitent  heart  is,  therefore,  the  frame  which  becomes 
us.  For  such  love  as  that  of  Christ's  there  should  be  an  ever- 
lasting flow  of  gratitude  from  our  hearts,  and  a  continual  song 
of  praise  while  we  have  a  being.  And  this  feeling  of  gratitude, 
though  often  sadly  deficient  now,  will  hereafter  overflow  from  the 
redeemed  to  all  eternity,  and  there* shall  be  a  song  of  praise  com- 
menced which  shall  never  cease — "To  him  that  loved  us  and 
washed  us  from  our  sins  in  his  own  blood."  .       *  • 

The  only  inference  which  I  would  deduce  from  the  foregoing 
discourse.,* is,  that  if  we  here  love  a  Saviour  whom  we  have  never 
seen,  and  whom  we  can  only  approach  by  faith,  how  strong  will  Uj 
be  our  love  when  we  shall  see  him  face  to  face,  and  fmd"oursel7e# 
not  only  in  his  real  presence,  but  inclosed  in  bis  affectionate  em- 
brace !  And  when  we  fee  him,  we  shall  be  like  .him,  both  in 
houl  and  body,  "for  we  shall  see  him  as  he  is."  And  '^beholding 
his  glory  we  shall  be  changed  into  the  same  image  from -glory  to 
glory,  as  by  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord." 

God  being  a  Spirit  cannot  be  seen  with   corporeal  eyes,  cither 
in  this  world  or  the  next;  but  his  glory  shines  illustriously  In  tfcjB 
face  of  his  Son.     And  whosever  sceth  the  Son  seeth  the  Father 
"  also,  for  the  Father  and  Son   arg  one.     Here  our  views  of  Christ 
are  only  by  faith,  but  in  heaven  we  shall   see   him  face- to  face, 
and  know  as  we  are  known.     Here   our  love    to    the    Saviour  is 
feeble,  on  account  of  the  dimness  of  our  vision,  and  often    inter- 
rupted by-dark  clouds,  and  earthly  affections  which  draw  us  away 
from  the'conteinplation  of  the  character  of  our  Redeemer  ;  but  in 
heaven  there  will  be  no  interposing  obstacles  to  veil  his  glory,  or 
counteracting  affections  to  enfeeble  or  interrupt  our  perfect  love. 
Happy,  happy  condition  of  those  who  loved  a  Saviour,  whom 
they   never  saw,  when  they  shall  see  him  as   he   is.   and  be  like 
him.     They  will  never  be  wear\*of  ga//iug  on   his   lovely   face-- 
they  will  never  cease  to  give  him. thanks  and   praise   for  his  un- 
paralleled, unspeakable  love,  to  which  they  will  forever  acknowl- 
edge their  indebtedness  for  salvation. 


Hollinger  Corp. 
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